Did you know? 9 in 10 Americans consider pets as a part of their family, according to Pet Secure. Pets are great stress relievers, letting us enjoy the world to its fullest. According to Pet Secure, the number of pet dogs in the world has already surpassed the 250 million mark, and for the cats, it stands around 240 million. Pet owners’ care for their pets is so immense that they can go to a great extent to safeguard them. In this era of the internet and smartphones, don’t you think pet lovers demand a pet store app that provides overall care and experience for their pets? 

The COVID-19 crisis is posing a significant threat to the world. In the United Kingdom, governments have placed pet shops and veterinary services under the ‘essentials’ category. But, people cannot access pet stores every time fearing virus contractions. A smartphone application to order pet foods and consult veterinary practitioners can significantly come in handy in this quarantine season. 

Entrepreneurs can leverage this situation to initiate their pet care app development. All they have to do is build a virtual platform that pet owners can access from the comfort of their homes. In this blog, let’s take a look at how one can develop a top-notch pet care app and attract the audience towards the online platform. 

Why should I invest in the pet care app industry? 

The on-demand pets app industry is faring quite well, considering the fact users can enjoy doorstep pet food deliveries. Some of the stats supporting the above statement include, 

• Chewy, the popular pet retailer app, is forecasting a 35-37% rise in sales compared to the first quarter of 2019. 
• According to Jodi Watson, the vice-chair of True Leaf, pet care e-commerce sales in the US grew by 67% in 2018. 
• The online pet food sales market in the US is posing a CAGR of 23% between 2018 and 2023. 
• Moreover, Chewy is planning to hire 6,000-10,000 employees to handle the spike in online orders. 
• Besides, according to Pet Secure, Americans spend $50 billion annually on their pets. 

The above facts signify that entrepreneurs needn’t have second thoughts about investing in this vastly-expanding segment. 

What are the different types of pet apps? 

Before initiating app development, you need to be very clear about the type of app you are about to introduce into the market. The popular models include, 

• Pet monitoring apps: In this type, the app monitors the growth and activities of your pets. The app provides quality insights on training the pets and notifications on the pets’ height and weight periodically. Moreover, the app stores the medical history of the pets, including vaccination results, health records, etc. 
• First Aid apps: This type of apps provides articles and videos explaining how to control the pets during stressful situations. Besides, the app provides detailed instructions on how to take care of pets’ wounds and many more. 
• Vet consultation apps: In this type, the app establishes a connection between veterinarians and pet owners. Pet owners can schedule appointments with their respective doctors and seek their consultations without any hassles. This type of app is the need of the hour amid the COVID-19 crisis. 
• Pet e-commerce apps: Some of the most successful pet apps are of this type. Different pet foods and products are made available to users to order online using the app. Users enjoy doorstep deliveries without even stepping out of their homes. Chewy is one of the best examples of this type. 

It entirely depends on business owners to decide the type of app based on their resources. 

How to develop a best-in-class pet care app? 

After identifying the type of app that best suits you, you need to transform your ideas into an application by integrating features and functionalities. A comprehensive pet care app development contains some must-have features like, 

• Registration: Users can register with the app either through their mail IDs or social media handles. 
• Pet profile: Users can specify their pets’ details, including the breed, height, weight, food preferences, allergies, medical records, etc. 
• Food intake monitoring: In case you are opting for an exclusive pet care app, your online platform needs to inform users on the diet plans of their pets and calorie intake of each meal. This way, the app monitors the food intake of the pets without any hassles. 
• Activity monitoring: To enhance and maintain the vibrant mood of pets, it is mandatory to take them on a pet walk, aiding in weight loss, as well. By integrating a GPS tracking feature in your platform, you can identify the total distance covered by the pets, calories burnt, etc. 
• Medical records: It becomes clumsy to maintain the medical records of pets and carry them around every time while consulting vet practitioners. Hence, a feature to store medical files of pets can come in handy for maintenance and sharing. 
• Push notifications: It is advisable to remind users of the pets’ daily food consumption, activity enhancement or reduction of the pet, and many more. This way, users needn’t access the app every time. They get instant updates in the form of push notifications. 
• Schedule appointments with vets: If you opt for a vet consultation app, it is necessary to let users schedule appointments with their respective practitioners well in advance. This way, they can consult them through the app without stepping out of their homes. 
• Access multiple stores: If you opt for an e-commerce platform, your users should choose from several stores available in their locality. This way, you can increase customer engagements, leading to an increase in sales. 

What are the ways to monetize a pet care app? 

Yielding revenue isn’t a matter of concern for pet care apps. You can generate revenue from multiple sources based on the type of apps you choose. 

• Commission fees: If you are about to develop a vet consultation or e-commerce app, you can gain paid commissions. The practitioners and pet stores get to enhance their business through your online platform. Hence, they pay you a part of users’ payment as the commission fee. 
• Subscription plans: You can yield income by offering a premium version of the app to users. Users who pay the fee enjoy enticing benefits like offers and discounts, 24×7 access to practitioners, and many more. This adds to your income, as well. 
• Third-party advertising: By advertising fellow brands in your app, these brands pay you a certain amount of fee you set for a fixed timeframe. This way, you can generate a steady income through your platform. 

What if you can provide all these services with a single app? 

Have you ever imagined that you can integrate all the popular pet app models into a single app? At Appdupe, we are well-versed in rolling out a Super app that culminates in multiple pet care services like monitoring, veterinary consultations, e-commerce platforms in addition to other services. Our Gojek clone app can accommodate more than 50 services, thereby ensuring your app’s success. Some of the services offered may include, 

• Pet monitoring services. 
• Vet consultation services. 
• Pet e-commerce services. 
• Food & grocery delivery services. 
• Ride-hailing services. 
• Digital wallet services and many more. 

Summing up, 

The COVID-19 crisis is propelling the demand for pet e-commerce and vet consultation services among the people. There cannot be an ideal time than this to set foot in the emerging market. It is inevitably the features that determine the scalability of your app. To attract a wider audience towards your platform, you can use our top-notch and highly reliable Go-Jek clone app. 

Schedule a meeting with us, tell us your requirements, and we’ll help you climb the ladders of success in the shortest time possible!